Casket lowering and raising apparatus.



F. W. MILLER.

CASKET LOWE-RING AND RAISING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION P111141) DEU\9,1912.

4 ML m w m Mm t n2 .w a P P. W. MILLER. GASKET LOWEBING AND RAISING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED UB0 9, 15112,

Patented Sept. 1, 1914.

2 BHEETS-BHEBT 2.

" III-1:1: 7.12:"

Jill/676(67- UNITED 's'rAgns PA'rnwr OFFICE.

FBnunnlGK W. MILLEILOF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO FBIGID FUEL (30., OF

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 1, 1914.

Application filed December 9, 1912. Serial No. 735,767-

10 act 'w/wm it may concern Be it known that I, Fnnosnlon W. MILLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Casket Lowering and Raising Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification.

My invention relates to casket lowering and raising apparatus and has for its object the provision of a new and improved mechine of this character.

I will describe one form of carrying out my inv ntion more in detail by referring to the accompanying drawing illustrating said embodiment in which:

Figure 1 is a side view artially in section of my im roved device; Big. 2 is a top view thereof; ig. 3 is a partial sectional view to illustrate the operating mechanism; Fig. 4 is an end view of the mechanism inclosing head partially in section; Fig. :1 IS a sectional view to illustrate the locking means employed for adjusting purposes. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view to more clearly reveal the collapsible features, and Fig. 7 is a sectional view on line a--a. of Fig. 3.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2 which illustrate the general nature of the device, I show a quartet of heads 1, 2, 3 and 4 between which rotatable sleeves 5 and 5 '6 are pivotally mounted, each carrying straps 7 and 3 adapted to sup art the casket 9. As the wc'ight of the caslzet rotates the sleeves 5 and (3, suitable means within the head 2 to be later explained regulate the speed of descent and thus permit suitably controlled operation of the device.

Referring more specifically to Fig. 3, the sleeve denoted generally at 6 consists of the outer tube 10 suitably inclosing an inner tube 11, the two tubes being'slidable endwise. The tube 11 has a. clutch member 12 adapted to engage a second clutch member 13 provided with pins Y1 1 and these two clutch members arev held together by the sleeve 15 having screw threaded en agement with the clutch member 13. T c clutch} member 13 is rigidly secured to a second inner sleeve 16 around which an outer sleeve 17 similar to the sleeve 10 is placed. A

shaft 18 projects through an opening 19 of the head 2 and this shaft 18 is rotatable having at its right hand extremity a flat member 20 adapted to engage a coiiperating lug 21 having a flat face, the two being held together by means of the pin 22. 'llie sleeve 10 carries a partition 24 having a square hole to fit the square portion of shaft 26 to rotate same. A set screw 25 passes through sleeve 10, partition 24 and enters a hole in the square shaft 18. By removing screw 25, sleeves 10 and 11 and their accompanying parts can be moved as shown in Fig. (5 so that all parts may swing around the pin 22. The plates 20 and 21 al'e'also rectangular on their outer periphery as shown more clearly in said Fig. 7 and by reason of this construction the shaft 18 rotates with the outer sleeve 10 as is apparent. The block 21 is fixedly secured to a tube 26 of rectangular cross-section, which thus rotates with this element 21 and also by reason of its rectangular oross-sectirm drives a block 27 fixedly secured to the tube 11, the block 27 also having an inner rectangular opening to conform to the rectangular outline of the tube 26. Now it will be apparent that the sleeves 10 and 11 are extensible longitudinally and in that event, assuming that the outer sleeve 10 is driven by the strap 7, this rotation of the sleeve 10 rotates the shaft 18 and thereby the tube 26, and through the agency of this tube 26 and the block 27 drives the inner tube 11, which thereby through the agency of the coupling drives the tube 16. Similar instrumentalities may then be in terposed so that the sleeve 16 drives the sleeve 17. This power transmitting apparatus thus far described is o crablc it will be seen irrespehtive of how ar the sleeves 10 and 11 are displaced longitudinally by being extended to accommodate larger 0 ioning, the in 28 preventing the tube 26 ram being Wi drawn entirely from the block 27 It will of course be understood that the weight of the casket tends to drive the shaft 18 by reason of the instrumentalities above outlined.

My invention is designed to regulate the speed of the descent of the casket, or as will alppear, to permit means of raising the same s ouldsue dental'ly that a lug 29 is irgovided which prevents the collar 15 from in displaced too far. The shaft 18 is mount in a bearing 30 and carries a bevel gear 81. This he desired. I might say inci-- bevel gear: 31 meshes with a second bevel gear 32 carried upon a shaft 33. This shaft 33 transmits the movement of the bevel gear 31 to the bevel gear 34 which in turn transmits it to the bevel gear 35 to thereby drive the sleeve 5 in unison with the sleeve 10. Suitable means such as a telescoping shaft portion 36 are provided to erniit of the extension of the shaft 33 w enever it is designed to increase the space between the heads i'and 2. The" head 2 is fixedly secured to a sleeve 37 and the head 1 is fixedly secured to asleeveflfi, which sleeve telescopes'to permit extension and retraction. The'sleeve 37 has a plurality of holes 39 into which a spring pressed pin 40 is adapted to project to lock the device in any predeter mined extended position. This pin has a knurled head 41 and has a pin 42, which pin normally projects into a slot as when projecting 1nto a hole 39, but which pin may ride on the upper outer surface of the cylindrical element 45 during the process of adjustment.

I will now describe the manner in which I regulate the speed of the descent and also the means that may be employed to control the ascent. \Vhon the sleeves are rotated the bevel gear 31 rotates tlfe bevel gear 32, thereby rotating the shaft 33. This shaft 33 carries a gear wheel 46. A hub 47 is loosely mounted on the shaft and this hub is in tegral with a worm wheel 48. A pawl -19 is pressed by means of the sprin 50 into engagement with the teeth of t e wheel 46 so that a contra-clockwise rotation (Fig. a) of the shaft 33 will carry along the worm wheel 48. Should it be desired by hand to rotate the sleeve 6 so as to wind up the straps 7 and 8, then this will rotate the sleeve 5 through the agency of the gear wheels, 31, 32, 34 and 35, but the rotation in this direction will not rotate the worm wheel 18 as the pawl 49 then rides over the teeth of the gear wheel 46. During the descent of the casket, however, the forced rotation of the worm wheel 48 is communicated to the-worm 51. This worm is mounted on a shaft 52, which shaft is carried at its lower extremity in any suitable manner in a bearin 53 of the head 2 and at its u per extremity in a bridge 54. The pitch 0 the worm and worm wheel of course is sufficiently high so that the worm wheel may impart rotation to the-worm. The worm shaft 52 carries at its upper extremity a gear wheel 55 which gear wheel meshes with a suitable gear wheel 56 carried on a shaft 57 also mounted in the bridge 54. This shaft 57 carries a friction disk 58 which is slid able on the shaft 57, and may be pulled downwardly (Fig. 4) thrtiugh the action of governor springs 59 which are suitably weighted by the weights 60. The lower ends of the governor springs 59 are fixedly secured to the shaft 57 and the upper ends of these springs are secured to the element 58 so that'in answer to the outward bending of these springs due to the centrifugal action of the weights (5.0, the element 58 may slide along the shaft 57. The friction disk 58 is thenpulled downwardly against a cam 61, which cam may be suitably rotated and adjusted by the handle 62, afi stop 63 limiting the movement of said handle 62. By reason of this cam 61 the speed of descent may be regulated. The shaft 52 protrudes upwardly out of the head 2 and may he engaged by a suitable handle 64 shown in dotted lines by means of which the apparatus may be rotated so as to elevate the casket upon the straps 7 and 8.'.

.It will thus be seen that I have provided a very simple and eificient means. of controlling the motion and providing an adjustable and collapsible machine. It will of course also be readily apparent that changes may be readily made in the structure herein shown without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having however thus described one form which my invention may take, what I claim new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device. of the character described, the combination with supporting straps, a pair of rotatable sleeves to which said straps are secured, a plurality ofheads in which said. sleeves terminate and on which said sleeves are rotatably mounted, means whereby said sleeves rotate synchronously, a governor to control the rotation of said sleeves when a weight is placed upon said straps, a

owl and ratchet and worm and worm wheel lnterposcd between said sleeves and said governor, a shaft for said worm, and a bridge for supporting said worm shaft and governor shaft.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination with supporting straps, a pair of rotatable sleeves to which said straps are secured, a plurality of heads in which said sleeves terminate and on which said sleeves are rotatably mounted, means where. by said sleeves rotate synchronously, a governor to control the rotation of said sleeves when a weight is placed upon said straps, means for uniting one of said sleeves with said governor, said means including a square shaft and engaging power transmitting are seem-oil, plurality saidsleeves tegminze sleeves are rotatably mounted, means whereseid sleeves rotate synchronously 5 ernor to control the rotation of and sleeves placed uponsaid straps, one of said sleeves with,

when a. weight is means for nnitin rlifgovernonsal me and engugin between said shaft 1power transmitting e on seidshaft an 10 mechanism said mg slidab being 1 .v

of heads in which (1 on which said ans including a square. goweir transmit and mi saidsqiuue means for; sliding solidv square shaft,

mechanism 1 "In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe 20 my name-this 16th day of November, A. D.,.

FREDERICK W. MILLER.

Witnesses:

Max W. Zsmm,

A, LYDA JONES.

are secureii, plurality of heads in which said sleeves terminve end on which said sleeves are rotatably mounted, means whereby said sleeves rotate synchronously, a gov- 5 ernor to control the rotation of said sleeves when a weight is placed upon vsaid straps,"

e on mid-shaft an m ch -3 said square I l jigitbeing jointed, means 01: said 5:

Correotbn ln'Lefieesmmmoesaa.

sleeve elong said shaft to permit said shaft to be folded to permit collapsing of said .de- 15 vice, and aseeondsleeve telescoping within-- said last aforesaid sleeve and also liavin powertransmitting oonnection with s'ai square shaft;

f In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe 24) 'iny namethis 16th day of November, A D.,.

FREDERICK W. MILLER. Witnessesi v A, LmJom It is hereby certified that the name of tlie assignee in Letters Patent No.

1,109,58B, granted September 1, 1914, upon the applieation of Frederick lldiller, I or Chicago, Illinois, forts improvement in Casket Lowering and Raising Appara, mg? was erroneously given as Iflgid Fuel 00., whereas it ghouldheve' been given es Frigid F'hnid 00., end that the said Letters Patent slilould read with tliis correction therein that same mey conform to the record oi the ease in the A Signed sale this Bthdey bf October, A. 1)., 1914.

. R. F. WHITEHEAD,

Acting Gammzlssiomr ofPaltart s;v

It is hereby certified that the name of tl le asaignee in Letters Patent No.

1,109,688, granted September 1, 1914, upon the application of Frederick Mil 161, of Chicago, Illinois, for an improvement in Gasket Lowering and Raising Appara- $115,? was erroneously given as Frigid Fuel 00., whereas iii should have been given as mm m 00.; ma that the said Letters. Patentv s l l gnl d b read with thi' correction therein aamemay conform to the record of the caee inthe 4 Ofiioe. t Signed a Emma this ethda of October, A. 1)., 1914 '[smxk] V Acting Uommieeibner qf 

